Liquid foam plastic is a modern building material used to insulate buildings or manufacture facing products (sandwich panels). This substance has certain advantages that make it in demand. Let's take a closer look at how it is used, manufactured and what differences liquid foam has from other materials.
What is a substance?
So, this insulation has a liquid consistency, which is why it can be used in any hard-to-reach places. Despite the pasty primary structure of the substance, the material rapidly increases in size and hardens. In this case, all voids are filled.
Liquid foam is made from expanded polystyrene with the addition of some additional substances that contribute to long-term storage of the material in a pasty state and change properties during use.
What components are used in production?
In order to make the presented product, it is necessary to prepare raw materials. For work you will need:
1. Water (it must be heated to 40 degrees).
2. Foamer.
3. A catalyst that helps solidify the material.
4. Urea-formaldehyde resin.
It should be noted that liquid foam is able to harden at a low temperature, which makes its use as convenient as possible.
Properties and benefits of insulation
Now let's see what advantages the material has:
1. Small mass. This parameter allows the use of this insulation even in those buildings that stand on soft soils. The material does not weigh down the structure.
2. Ease of use.
3. Low cost and economical.
4. Good sound and heat insulation properties.
5. Resistant to temperature extremes.
6. Ecological safety.
7. Rodent resistant.
8. Flammability.
9. Reduced shipping costs.
10. Liquid Styrofoam, which has more positive reviews, does not rot, does not leak moisture and provides high energy savings in the home.
11. Can be used in both residential and industrial premises.
11. Use of raw materials in places where it is impossible to mount other types of insulation.
Material imperfections
I must say that liquid foam, reviews of which will help you decide whether to use it or not, has some disadvantages. They are few, but they are:
- An unpleasant smell of formaldehyde, which eventually disappears. Necessarysay that formaldehyde is a component unsafe for human he alth, but it evaporates quickly enough, so the final material is harmless.
- If you use this insulation on horizontal surfaces, it can shrink up to 5%. Naturally, this result can be if you apply the material without pressure.
Application areas
Liquid foam is usually sold in bottles, so it's easy to get it to your destination. In general, this material is used in such cases:
1. For thermal and sound insulation of walls. To do this, you can pour it into the masonry, between the main surface and the facing material, or apply the product to the outer surface of the walls.
2. Thermal and sound insulation of the roof and floors. The material can be applied under the floor covering and under the false ceiling.
3. Insulation with liquid foam can be carried out on pipelines.
4. It is used in the production of sandwich panels. This allows not only to insulate the building, but also to clad it beautifully.
5. This material is used in industrial buildings, drying and refrigerating chambers, vegetable storages.
In any case, the presented substance is mainly used for sound and thermal insulation.
Features of insulation
In order to perform the procedure, you must first clean the surface to be treated. Liquid insulationStyrofoam is produced under pressure, that is, the material is poured into the necessary areas with the help of special equipment. Naturally, after processing it should be dried. Only in this case will it swell and dry well.
It should be noted that fresh foam has a high fluidity and penetrates into the most inaccessible places. At the same time, it clogs even small holes well. At the same time, it will not be necessary to use heavy building materials in construction, which are large in size and are quite expensive. Bottled liquid foam can solve this problem.
It should be noted that this material can be made right where the construction is being done. That is, you can make this substance with your own hands. A small layer of insulation can retain heat like a very thick brick wall.
Insulation technology
Insulation with liquid foam, reviews of which are positive and contribute to an increase in the rating of this material, is carried out according to certain instructions. That is, it is necessary to follow the sequence of work. The procedure itself is not complicated, but requires the use of special equipment. So, the insulation technology involves the following steps:
1. Cleaning the treated surface from dust and debris.
2. Calculation of the amount of material. In this case, all those voids that are in the walls, attic or under the floor covering should be taken into account. In principle, the cylinders indicate how many cubic meters it is designed for.insulation.
3. Insulation with liquid foam is carried out using a special installation that is capable of supplying material under pressure. That is, you need a foam generator. It perfectly doses all the components. Simply install the required program.
4. Actually filling of raw materials. Moreover, if there is a gap between the masonry, where the old insulation has already rotted or lost its functions, then you should not disassemble the entire wall. It is enough just to make small holes and pour the foam through them. Drill them in different places.
5. Styrofoam should be poured from the bottom up in a checkerboard pattern. It is necessary to fill the void until the raw material begins to pour out. Do not be afraid that the material will begin to burst. The fact is that its density is very low, so it will not be able to destroy the structure.
Now you need to wait for the insulation to harden. After that, you can make wall cladding. If you are insulating houses with liquid foam in the attic, then it is enough to fill the gaps between the beams.
What equipment is needed to make the material?
In order to produce this substance, it is necessary to have suitable machines. That is, you need to buy such equipment:
1. Compressor.
2. Installation for mixing gas and liquid. It will mix all the ingredients.
It must be said that making liquid foam at home is quite simple. However, you will needcontainer in which you package the received raw materials. If you want to make solid insulation, then you will also need molds.
Please note that different machines can produce different amounts of material. Therefore, you should buy only the equipment that will produce the required mass of raw materials.
Insulation manufacturing technology
Making liquid foam with your own hands is quite simple with the appropriate equipment and raw materials. First you need to prepare the installation for work. Please note that the equipment must be of high quality, and all hose connections must be tight. In addition, the electrical wiring must be able to withstand the load.
Next, prepare the foaming agent. To do this, you need to make 2 liters of a concentrated solution and dilute it with 48 liters of hot water. For the preparation of a foamy substance, phosphoric acid of 85% concentration (half a liter) is required. It should be mixed with water (45 liters). The liquid must be heated to 40 degrees.
Now both solutions can be mixed, that is, you must combine the prepared foam substance with 5 liters of foam concentrate. After that, the resulting solution is poured into the appropriate container.
A polymer resin is also added there, which helps to harden the foam. To improve the quality of the material, various modifiers should be poured into it. All components are thoroughly mixed in a gas-liquid installation under the influence of compressed air. If you want to reduce the cost of construction, then try to producedo-it-yourself liquid foam right at the construction site. This will allow finishing work to be completed faster and significantly reduce their cost.
Of course, all actions should be performed carefully in compliance with all necessary safety standards. The fact is that you will be dealing with acids. Please wear protective clothing, gloves and a respirator.
Insulation of houses with liquid foam allows you to reduce energy costs by several times. In principle, these are all the features of the manufacture of liquid foam. Good luck!
